This week on Instagram.

Here's a snippet from my Instagram feed this week. How was your week? I happily pedalled around on my shiny new bike, drank coffee and tea and spent a busy week at work. It even rained heavily for a couple of minutes yesterday! An exciting thing here in the desert. Now, it's off to finish an assignment for uni - this time, I've got the deadline right. Happy weekending to you!

This week on Instagram.

The weather here in Central Australia is magnificent this time of year. If anything, it's still a little hot, even in mid-Autumn. They say that Anzac Day (25 April) signals the start of the cool season, but so far next week's forecast is all high 20s and low 30s.

Still warm enough to swim!

Here is a little snapshot of my week.

I spotted this bike parked near my favourite cafe this week.

Making a simple spaghetti bolognese for friends, with basil and parsley from the garden. And, of course, a glass of wine.

Coffee. Need I say more?

Our vegetable garden is starting to grow rather nicely. This is the broccolini.

Alice Springs morning sunlight is divine.

These little shrubs never flower at the same time as each other, but when they do decide to flower, it's rather pretty.

Laksa with chicken and prawns, and fresh coriander from the garden.

Swimming in mid-Autumn is definitely possible here in the desert!

Enjoy your week ahead.

This week on Instagram.

Another busy week. Time just gets away from you, sometimes!

The temperature in Alice Springs is cooling down a little, which in real terms means it doesn't go over 30 degrees until after 10am or so.

With the slightly cooler days I thought I'd plant some herbs, knowing that they're not going to sizzle in the sun.

We had friends over for dinner and they brought a gift for us - a chocolate mint plant to add to the herb garden! Yum.

Semester 1 of university has started and the cricket season has almost finished.

We are planning our hike over Easter and so we had a planning night with our friends with maps and fish and chips.

And in other news, I'm not quite an Aunty...yet. But that will probably change very soon.

This week on Instagram: 52 Lists

I am a list maker. Give me a task and I will turn it into a list. I write lists at work so I can cross things off. I have a notebook full of lists and little notepads just for lists. I think it may be genetic because there are always lists - in both parents' handwriting - at my mum and dad's house.

It was only natural, then, that when I stumbled upon the #52lists project by Pip at www.meetmeatmikes.com that I had to take part. Each week, there's a new list to make on a new theme. So far, they have included things like favourite snacks, jobs I've had and suburbs I've lived in.

It's not strictly this 'week' on Instagram, as this is a year-long project. But anyway, here are my lists so far.

If you love making lists too, have a look at the website above or follow @meetmeatmikes on Instagram.

This week on Instagram: 5 shot challenge.

I was invited by Lijean of onegirlstudio to take part in #5shotchallenge, with the theme 'Alice Springs'. It was a great way to take photos with purpose, and think a little deeper about how to tie them in to fit with the theme.

This was my interpretation of Alice Springs.

1. (main photo) This image is of the lifeblood of Alice Springs, the Todd River, taken from my office. The sky is its trademark vivid blue and the light that filters through the majestic river gums is golden.

2. (bottom right) The Todd Mall is paved with these red bricks. But it was only today that I noticed that some of the bricks have names etched into them. The northern section of the Mall has been ripped up and in the process of being turned into a vehicle thoroughfare. Spaces for cars, rather than people...silly move.

3. (bottom left) This is scribbled onto a wall in the lane near my office. For me, this photo says a couple of things about Alice. First, the words. 'Beyond the beyond' sums up so many things about life here. For the city dweller, Alice is waaaay beyond the known. And beyond Alice there is more vastness. Then there's the literal. Scribbled onto corrugated iron - a staple material used here for fences, sheds, houses. It's fuss-free, it's tough and it is comfortable in its materiality. To survive here one must take on elements of these qualities.

4. (middle right) One of the things I love about living in Alice Springs is the light. For starters, there's plenty of it. You would be very hard pressed to develop a vitamin D deficiency living here. Sunshine pretty much all year round. There's this lovely golden hue that filters through the foliage (see photo 1/5). Of course, there's a level of harshness in the sun when it's at its strongest; but it's tempered by moments like this. I caught glimpse of this late afternoon sun from my front porch.

5. (top right) This is the newest building in the CBD, a government office block. The panelling has oxidized to reflect the rich ochre earth of the central desert and is radiant against the deep blue sky. This is late afternoon.